Wrapped Up
by SistaSouljah
Summary: Response to challenge. NS.


Disclaimer: If it's familiar to you, it doesn't belong to me.

A/N: A little present for my fellow Snickers.

* * *

Sara walked down the hall and let out a heavy sigh as she looked at the pages and pages of phone records in her hand, yet to be checked over. She knew her headache was about to get worse. She stopped in front of one of the layout rooms when she noticed Nick and Warrick were in there. She had no idea what they were doing, and considering they were all working the same case, she thought she should find out. She didn't like being left out of the loop.

She walked in and wrapped an arm around each of their shoulders, sticking her head between them. "What are you guys doing?" Her tone wasn't inquisitive, but rather accusatory, as if she'd just caught them with their hands in the cookie jar.

"What does it look like we're doing? We're sniffing pens," Nick quipped, not even looking at her as he brought a pen to his nose.

Sara scoffed and removed her arm from Nick, turning her back to him and directing her attention to Warrick. "Why?"

"We found an ink stain on our vic's shirt. And we figured it must have come from one of these scented pens we found in her backpack," Warrick explained.

"Why can't you just run samples through the FTIR? Or even thin layer. TLC is great for ink," Sara reasoned.

"This is faster. And funner," Warrick replied. "Pepperoni pizza?" Warrick offered one of the pens to Sara.

"I'm a vegetarian," she smirked.

Nick nudged Sara's arm. "Hey, smell this one."

She noticed Nick and Warrick exchange a quick look. "Why?" she asked, immediately suspicious.

"Just smell it."

"No. It probably smells like liver and onions or something."

"No it doesn't, it's supposed to be," Nick looked at the wording on the pen, "'freeze-dried macaroni and cheese.' Just smell it."

"No," Sara was insistent.

"Chicken."

"Turkey," she shot back with a glare.

Warrick laughed, and Sara redirected her glare at Warrick to quickly quiet him.

"Fine. If you don't wanna help…" Nick said.

Sara let out an exasperated sigh. "Give it to me." She stuck out her hand.

"No, you said you didn't want to smell it, we're not gonna force you."

"Just give me the damn pen." She grabbed the pen out of Nick's hand, pulled off the cap, and took a whiff. The foul scent triggered her gag reflex, sending her into a coughing fit.

Nick and Warrick started laughing and gave each other high fives, as if they were little kids who had just duped someone with their trickery.

Sara got her coughing under control enough to give them both slaps on the head. "I'll be back when you guys grow up. Which in your case will probably be never," she retorted as she left.

"Looks like somebody is sleeping on the couch tomorrow morning," Warrick teased.

"Please," Nick smirked. "I'm too irresistible."

"Whoa, okay, we don't need to be going there," Warrick held up his hands.

"Well I am," Nick mumbled as he got up and walked out, deciding he needed some coffee. When he got to the break room he saw Sara sitting at the table, drinking coffee and going through phone records. She didn't look up or say anything when he walked in. He poured himself some coffee and stood at the counter sipping it, staring at the back of her head and waiting to see if she'd say anything. When she didn't, he decided to make a move. Just as he was about to put his hands on her shoulders, she finally spoke.

"I'm still mad at you," she said, not turning around.

Nick rolled his eyes. "C'mon, it was just a joke." He leaned down to try and give her a kiss on the cheek but she jerked away.

"I almost lost my dinner in there," she continued in her bitter tone. She knew she was overreacting, but she didn't feel bad about it. Shift had already been bad enough; Nick and Warrick playing their childish games didn't make things any better.

Nick sighed. "I'm sorry, okay?"

Sara abruptly scooted her chair out, almost knocking over Nick in the process. "I'm gonna go see if Brass tracked down our stolen car yet." And with that she left.

-------------------

Nick was sitting in the CSI garage, waiting for the vehicle that auto detail said was supposed to be there twenty minutes ago. Just as he was about to call them, a jet black Bentley pulled in.

This was the car they had to process? So maybe shift wouldn't be so bad after all. Nick admired the spotless wax job, the silver and gold rims and dark tinted windows of the Continental GT. But then he realized something. Why were they driving it in? They were compromising evidence in the driver's seat! Before Nick could yell at whoever was driving, the passenger side door opened and out stepped Sara, wearing nothing but two strategically placed strips of bubble wrap, the plastic wrapped tightly around her body and secured with duct tape. She reached into the car and pulled out a tuba, which Nick thought was a little strange, because Sara had mentioned on several occasions that she had a phobia of large brass instruments. Nevertheless, she started playing to the tune of "Georgia on My Mind," and as she did, Nick noticed a King Cobra slithering out of the instrument like it was a snake being lured out of its basket.

At this point, Nick was really confused, but the thing that put him over the edge was Warrick, who exited the driver's side in only his boxers, bright yellow ones with a big smiley face plastered on the front. Before Nick could get a word out his phone started ringing. He pulled it off his belt.

"Stokes," he answered.

Silence.

"Hello?" He looked at the screen. Nobody had even called him.

Nick bolted up from the couch, realizing the phone was ringing. He grabbed the receiver off the coffee table.

"Hello?"

"Sorry, were you still sleeping?" Warrick asked on the other end of the line when he noticed Nick sounded a little disoriented.

"Yeah. Thank God," Nick replied, relieved, except about the bubble wrap part, that the chaotic scene he'd just witnessed was just a dream.

"Okay…uh, are you guys still coming over?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah." Nick almost forgot about the barbeque they were having at Warrick's that afternoon.

"Can you pick up some ice on the way?"

"Uh, sure. Why?"

"Some incident with Lindsey's old toys. Barbie doll versus Cabbage Patch Kid. Long Story," Warrick half-explained.

"Catherine's already there? What time is it?" He thought his crazy dream might have caused him to oversleep.

"Relax, it's only one. She was off last night. Just get here when you're ready."

"Yeah. Okay. Hey, what kind of boxers are you wearing?" Nick asked.

"Say what?"

"Never mind. Bye."

He glanced at the TV, which was on, since he'd fallen asleep while watching. He grabbed the remote to turn it off, but the narrator's voice caught his attention.

_"Coming up next on 'Chewables: The Past, Present and Future,' find out why Pebbles almost got snubbed from the Flintstones vitamins. And still to come, the secret to improving the taste of chewable Echinacea."_

Nick rolled his eyes as he hit the power button. The Discovery Channel was sure getting desperate.

Nick headed for the bedroom to see if the phone had woken Sara up. Hopefully it hadn't, and he'd be able to sneak into bed to get at least a few minutes of good sleep. He quietly opened the door, and was disappointed when he saw Sara propped up in bed on one elbow, already awake. Neither of them said anything as they stared at each other. Finally Sara's lips cracked into a small smile as she pulled back the covers, inviting him into bed. She could never stay mad at him for too long. He was just too irresistible.

Nick's eyes fell to an open box on the floor next to him. Inside it was a Waterford Crystal vase, a wedding present sent from Nick's great aunt. He carefully pulled out the bubble wrap and held it up to inspect it. He looked at Sara with a grin and a mischievous glint in his eye. The piece was a little small, but it would do.

The End


End file.
